Plant cells have cell walls, but animal cells do not. Why do you think that is so?

Question

It is a curious Biolody question^^;;~

Answer 1

i dont know but i always wondered the same thing in high school. i also wondered why they never explained it and that led me to believe that there is a mass conspiracy going on.

Answer 2

A cell wall is a more or less solid layer surrounding a cell. They are found in bacteria, archaea, fungi, plants, and algae. Animals and most other protists have cell membranes without surrounding cell walls. When a cell wall is removed using cell wall degrading enzymes, what is left of the cell and its surrounding plasma membrane is called a protoplast. The cell wall's main purpose is to actually protect the interior from any physical movement that may damage the cell.Plant cell walls have a number of functions: they provide rigidity to the cell for structural and mechanical support, maintaining cell shape, the direction of cell growth and ultimately the architecture of the plant. The cell wall also prevents expansion when water enters the cell. The term turgor is used to describe this pressure that is induced by excess water inside the plant cell. Cell walls protect against pathogens and the environment and are a store of carbohydrates for the plant. The cell wall is constructed primarily from a carbohydrate polymer called cellulose.

The middle lamella is laid first, formed from the cell plate during cytokinesis, and the primary cell wall is then expanded inside the middle lamella. The actual structure of the cell wall is not clearly defined and several models exist - the covalently linked cross model, the tether model, the diffuse layer model and the stratified layer model. However, the primary cell wall, can be defined as composed of cellulose microfibrils aligned at all angles. Microfibrils are held together by hydrogen bonds to provide a high tensile strength. The cells are held together and share the gelatinous membrane called the middle lamella, which contains magnesium and calcium pectates (salts of pectic acid). Cells interact though plasmodesma(ta), which are inter-connecting channels of cytoplasm that connect to the protoplasts of adjacent cells across the cell wall.

In some plants and cell types, after a maximum size or point in development has been reached, a secondary wall is constructed between the plant cell and primary wall. Unlike the primary wall, the microfibrils are aligned mostly in the same direction, and with each additional layer the orientation changes slightly. Cells with secondary cell walls are rigid. Cell to cell communication is possible through pits in the secondary cell wall that allow plasmodesma to connect cells through the secondary cell walls........(gt more at the fabulous website!)

Answer 3

Lack of cell walls gives animals cells an increased mobility and suppleness, and, by extension, to the whole animal. Plants tend to remain in one spot, so a rigid cell wall is beneficial for height, strength and rigidity etc.

Answer 4

the presence of cell walls simply reinforce the overall structure of the plant as a whole, since they do not have bones to support them, it is the presence of a cell wall that pysiologically supports the organism and provides rigidity to support the xylum and phloem (parts of the plant), also, animal cells have bones, which provide their support. also in immunological sense plant cells need their cell wall to provide extra protection against bacteria, since they have a simpler system. hope that helps!!!

Answer 5

animal cells can be supported by the bones in the body
but for plant cells they don't have bones so they must have rigidy walls to have a structured body

Answer 6

aNTIBIOTICS ACT on the cells having cell wall only .. Which helps us get rid of bacteria and protozoa in our body. Since virus doesnt hav cell wall, antibiotics won't have effect on em.
Since human cells don't have cell wall antibiotics wont harm human cells. See? God made eveything perfect. So u have to obey his will

Answer 7

plant cells have cell walls because they contain cellulose in their cells which provides rigidity to their body so that they cn stay erect!! bt animals are motile n dnt need to be erect n stiff!!! they just need to move, which is dn by bones n muscles!!

Answer 8

Provides ridgity and structure. How else would trees grow up so tall?

Answer 9

plants have walls so they dont move but animals dont have walls so they move here n there ..understand.. hahahaha

Answer 10

cuz we have bones